Mack Days fourth weekend results

Ira Edwards of Polson checks in a lake trout he caught from shore over the weekend. (courtesy photo)

POLSON — Great fishing weather made the fourth weekend of 2009 Spring Mack Days the most successful weekend so far in the seven-weekend event. Turning in three 50 fish limit days moved sixteen-year-old Stephen Neath-Pablo to the top of the leaders in the fishing event. Only three fish separate the top two anglers. Paul Haines-Ronan-moved into second place with 431 compared with 434 for Stephen. Paul had a 50 limit day on Friday, 27 Saturday, and 43 on Sunday. With numbers this close the 50 fish limit days can change the top two places every day. The final top angler will be the angler with the best 12 day average in the 20 regular days-the last day is a separate day. The top ten anglers will receive prizes from $650-$200 depending on their placing. Holding third place is Dean Vaughan of Charlo with 234, 4th is Mike Benson of Hot Springs with 198, 5th is Dan Smith of Hot Springs with 194, 6th is Greg Karlson of Missoula with 183, 7th is Don Peters of Florence/Polson with 181, 8th is Bernd Albrecht of Polson with 172, 9th is Roger Smart of Ronan with 163, and Nicole Peters of Florence/Polson with 163 in 10th.

Total fish entries in the event are 6,917-the weekend total of 2,531 is a second highest day of the events history. 719 anglers are entered in Spring Mack Days. Entries are taken up to the last day of the event. Over $45,000 in cash and prizes sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana FWP will be given to successful anglers on the last day April 26. All it takes is one fish entered for a chance in the lottery style drawing. Mack Days are a tool used to help reduce non-native lake trout numbers in Flathead Lake and to restore numbers of native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout in the lake.

Bernd and Susanne Albrecht of Polson check out the leader board at the end of the day

The large fish category is still lead by Captain Bob Orsua of Mo Fisch Charters-Lakeside with his 43” 31.1 lb. lake trout entry. We have no second place at this time in this category. Smallest lake trout entry is still Joe O’Hara of St. Ignatius with a 173mm lake trout. Stephen Naethe holds on to second with a 217mm laker.

Lady anglers are right in there with the guys and becoming more and more experienced. Nicole Peter’s sits in 10th place overall and leads the ladies with 163, Susanne Albrecht of Polson in 2nd- with 71, 3rd is Cindy Howe of Kalispell with 68, 4th is Terry Biere of Butte with 61, and 5th is Janet Smith of Bigfork with 36.

Youth anglers in the top 10 are Stephen 1st with 434, Terry Biere of Butte with 61, Garett Vaughan of Charlo with 25, Tanner Murray of Columbia Falls with 24, Keegan Noyd of Missoula with 20, Alexander Brown of Lakeside with 17, Tamarah Ivanoff of Arlee with 15, Danner Shima of Polson with 13, Austin Shima of Polson with 11, Eric Sams of Polson with 10, and Kobe Cox of Charlo with 10. Total fish entries for the 85 youth anglers in this event are 703 lake trout.

Five $100 tagged lake trout were entered by Mike Benson of Hot Springs,Joe O’Hara of St. Ignatius, Jim Auger of Missoula, Larry Schmill of Missoula, and Paul Soukup of Ronan during the three-day weekend. There are still over 1,000 tagged lake trout with values from $100-$5,000.

Go to www.mackdays.com for information or telephone 406-883-2888 ex. 7294 or 7282.